The Paradise Forum is quite a strange part of Birmingham, as it isn’t a shopping centre, but it isn’t particularly anything else.

'Paradise Forum' by The Cultural Bible

It’s situated at the top end of town by Birmingham Central Library and just behind Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Most people seem to use it as a walkway, going from the main high street up to Broad Street. There are shops and restaurants within the forum however, but I think many people don’t think of it as a place to have some lunch or buy something new.

I think the layout makes it seem like a place to pass through, rather than to stop and browse or to have a drink. When you enter the forum from the Victoria Square side, the first things you are greeted with are a Greggs to the right hand side, and McDonalds on the left. Then there are a couple of other shops or eateries such as Wetherspoons, Nando’s, Cartoon Planet, Cafe Bebo and Baguette de Monde.

I think the most appealing place in Paradise Forum is Entices Pancake and Ice-Cream Bar as it has a very American diner look to it. There is a large selection of ice-creams to choose from or you could have something a little sweeter like a chocolate pancake.

I have only been into Entices once, and it was about a year. I really enjoyed it and have been meaning to go back but for me, Paradise Forum is a place I pass through on the way to somewhere else, I don’t ever seem to have the time to stop.

Overall

Paradise Forum has a couple of hidden gems like Entices and The Yardbird, but it’s not very well advertised or laid out so you could easily miss it.

Visited: Wednesday 2nd March 2011

Contact: Paradise Forum

Av Cost per Person: Free to enter

'Birmingham Central Library' by The Cultural Bible

I think it’s because I haven’t really had any need too and the outside of it if not appealing at all. Today though, I decided to venture inside to see what it was like.

When I entered the building, I was a bit underwhelmed and it wasn’t clear where to go. I just stood there for a bit feeling a bit lost. I then made my way through some doors to what I thought must be the main part of the library.

I walked through and it was the fiction section. It wasn’t very clearly laid out or signposted so I just had to walk around and try and find out where exactly I was.

I took the escalator to the next level where I was greeted by a woman who wanted me to fill out a questionnaire. She was quite nice so I did but then continued with my exploration of the central library.

On the first floor there was a cafe, which I wasn’t expecting at all. They just served the basic sandwiches, snacks and drinks but I’m guessing it would be handy if you’re spending a lot of time in the library. There was also a place allocated for people to use their phones so as not to disturb other people.

I realised that each of the floors were split up into sections, depending on what subject area it was. There was a whole section (half a floor) dedicated to music. It had music related books, CDs, DVDs….just about everything to do with music. I didn’t know libraries really did this sort of thing.

Other sections included Education, Science, Religion, Black History and Nursing. There really was a section or book on everything you could ever imagine.

'Birmingham Central Library Book Bin' by The Cultural Bible

On certain floors there were tables and study areas where people were either reading books or doing work. I didn’t really see anyone on a laptop and then I realised that I hadn’t seen any Wi-Fi signs or information on using computers.

I checked where the computers were but it didn’t tell me how to log on, if it was free, or what I’d need to do to be able to use them. This was not helpful. There weren’t any signs about using laptops here either.

On a different floor I noticed one girl using a notebook and she had a lead running from her computer to a plug on the table. It was one of those leads which connect you to the internet, but you’d have to take your own if you wanted to use the libraries internet.

Overall

My experience of the library is a mixed one as it was very large and had a lot of content but the layout was too confusing and there weren’t enough signs around to help you. It felt a bit messy and neglected too, but I’m guessing this is why they’re building the Library of Birmingham in 2013. One big positive is that there is a book drop off box outside the entrance so you can return books even when they are shut. I haven’t seen this before!

Visited: Tuesday 1^st March

Contact: Birmingham Central Library, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3HQ

Tel: 0121 303 4511

Birmingham Central Library

Av Price per Person: Free entry

'Number Nine The Gallery' by The Cultural Bible

I stumbled across this small gallery as I was walking home and decided to go in and see what it was like.

Although it was small in size, it had plenty of art to keep you occupied for quite some time.

It contained a variety of sculptures, paintings, ceramics and glass works which kept it interesting as you walked around. The artwork was all very modern and some of it quite daring in its style.

As I’m a fan of modern contemporary art, this little gallery proved to be a great find. If you just wanted to add a little bit of culture to your day, this is the place to go. It’s not in your face or over the top, it’s just there for you to enjoy. Something a lot of galleries don’t seem to be like.

Another bonus to this gallery is you can buy the art you see in there. You can’t do this in a lot of galleries or museums which can be frustrating if you really want it. Of course I don’t have the funds to spend hundreds of pounds on art at the moment, but I still like having the option.

You can view all the art and find more information on the Number Nine The Gallery website.

'Number Nine The Gallery' by The Cultural Bible

Visited: Tuesday 1st March

Contact: Number nine the gallery
9 Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2JA, England.

0121 643 9099

Number Nine the Gallery

Av Cost per person: Free to go in

But don’t let this put you off. The Yardbird has managed to combine both anintimate, relaxed atmosphere with the bustle of a contemporary social spot, whichmany will enjoy. I talked to Birmingham University student Joe, 21, who entered The Yardbird for the first time that Friday night.

Joe said: “The atmosphere was relaxed and you could tell there was a visible community surrounding Yardbird. We got there after 10pm and walked straight into a group of people break dancing. There was minimal Hip-Hop music and the rest fairly low-key and very chilled out.”

Courtesy of Will Gregson

The Yardbird has a more laid-back take on a Friday evening so don’t be too surprisedif the usual grumpy bouncers aren’t there to give you a once over. With a last wordfrom Joe:

“Considering I’d never been before I had a really good time. Everyone whowas there was really friendly and I went for a good time.”

Dress code is more be comfortable and no one will judge you if you decide to wearyour favourite wool jumper boys and girls. There is plenty of seating available forthose who want to have a more comfortable evening out and drinks are reasonably priced.
The Yardbird has been a popular destination for students and anyone else because of it’s relaxed atmosphere and well-priced drinks. The music is based around  local jazz and soul so definitely a spot to have a few drinks and chill out after a hard days studying or revising.
I was impressed at how chilled out the atmosphere, although I think excessive alcohol consumption will be off the cards for me due to the hot temperature.

Remember to drink responsibly.

Venue: The Yardbird, Broad Street.

Visited: Friday 11th February 2011

Contact: The Yardbird

Paradise Place,  
Birmingham, B3 3HJ

0121 212 2524

The YardBird MySpace

What’s On @ The YardBird

Av. Price Per Person: No entry fee required – but may do for certain events.

The Ikon is small but the exhibits it homes are something different, and it was definetly a huge contrast from the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

Although we weren’t welcomed on arrival we were greeted by a girl in the Robert Orchardson exhibit “Endless façade“. This was an odd exhibit – very contemporary, but quite exciting to see. The way the space was utilised was interesting and was worth seeing.

The other exhibition that was on was by Marjolikn Dijkman, “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum”,  which showed hundreds of photographs simply mounted against the white walls. The photos were amazing and I wanted to know more about the places they were taken in – there was just no detail like this available at the exhibition.

I can appreciate that perhaps this would ruin the look of the exhibition, it’s just I expect to be intrigued and inspired by art and I very much was by the exhibit, I just couldn’t take this inspiration with me after I left the gallery.

The third exhibition that was on was “White as Snow” which is an exhibit presented through video.  Perhaps I am not cultured enough, I just didn’t understand. I am quite traditional when it comes to art so this was something very new for me to experience.

The gallery was highly relaxed with quiet bird noises playing in the stairwells. The exhibits had a big impact in such a small space and I was surprised that I hadn’t visited the Ikon before.

The exhibition guide is highly useful and overall I had an enjoyable experience. Another treasure of Birmingham tucked away in Brindley Place – and best of all it’s free.

Visited:             Tuesday 1^st March

Contact:             Ikon Gallery, Brindley Place

0121 248 0708

Ikon Gallery Website

Follow the Ikon Gallery  on Twitter

Av Cost per Person: FREE ADMISSION

So after living in Birmingham for three years I have finally managed to take a trip to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.

To be honest it’s pretty disgraceful that I haven’t already been as it’s in the centre of town (just at the top of New Street, by Victoria Sq.) and free to get in.

When we arrived at the museum we were greeted by the doorman and given a floor plan to navigate ourselves round. After all, this place is deceptively huge.

We were instantly overcome with that aura that seems to consume all museums and galleries – a silence and the innate urge to whisper when speaking – even though it is completely unnecessary.

Despite this the silence was appreciated when trying to read the many signs and posters next to each artefact or piece of art. The museum was well laid out with plenty of signposts to direct you to exhibitions that interest you.

There is definitely something there to interest everyone, even children.  Whilst we were there we encountered two school groups having history lessons amongst the artefacts of ancient Greece.

As well as this there are activities that you can take part in as you go along, for example trying on masks, building a stained glass window and creating your own piece of work.

There is so much to see and do at the museum that you could easily spend the majority of the day there. We were on a rather whistle-stop tour, but it is defiantly somewhere I would like to go back to.

Well worth a visit when you are next in town! Opening Times are available here.

Visited: Tuesday 1^st March

Contact: Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square

0121 303 2834

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery Website

Follow Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on Twitter

'Pizza Hut Leaflet' by The Cultural Bible

We decided to order takeaway as it was a Saturday and we couldn’t be bothered to cook.

The problem was that I wanted Chinese, and my friend wanted pizza.

We ended up choosing to order from Pizza Hut as we had a £15 off voucher if we spent over £30.

Spending £30 on food for two people seemed a little impossible as we thought it was going to be a lot of food! When we actually started picking food it soon added up and we reached our limit quickly.

I wanted to try something new so opted for the ‘Four Cheese and Vegetable’ pasta (‘pasta spirals with broccoli, spinach and peas, smothered in four cheese sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese’) as I quite fancied something creamy. I knew I’d want a desert after so ordered the ‘Warm Cookie Dough’, which comes with a small pot of vanilla ice cream.

My friend wanted pizza so chose the ‘Pepperoni Feast’ pizza (‘Double pepperoni, extra mozzarella cheese’) on a Pan pizza base

We also ordered a couple of side dishes; two lots of ‘Breaded Chicken Strips’ -one spicy and one normal,  ‘Potato Wedges’, and a couple of dips. My friend ordered a drink too.

This all added up to just over £30, which meant this entitled us to £15 off. So we had a load of food for only £7.50 each! Bargain!

The food arrived fairly quickly and it was all hot which was good. I was a bit worried about what my pasta might be like, but it was actually really tasty! It came in a silver rectangle tray and was equally spread out. There was plenty of sauce and the pasta was cooked well too.

The chicken strips were good too, but there were a few too many to have just for one person. The dips definitely made these pieces of chicken taste even better!

My friends’ pizza was thick and had quite a lot of topping which is always needed for a good pizza.  He enjoyed it and said the spicy chicken was delicious.

Overall:

Ordering was easy, the voucher made it cheap, food arrived on time, the food tasted good and was hot.

You can check out the menu at Pizza Hut

Some friends and I went to watch Imelda May play at the beginning of February and others  went with family members.

Imelda May was great, the band was a mixture of ethnic vibes, plus an acoustical set to add to the mood playing in the main room with a small audience.  One thing I like about the HMV Institute is that you will find such a variety of people.

The night was fairly relaxed and a few drinks in, the night really got under way. As the dance floor can sometimes feel a bit crowded, and like myself you may not bethe tallest of people, often they will open up the balconies for special events. Here you have a perfect panoramic view of the stage and dance floor below.

An exclusive and intimate night, there were limited tickets available for this event and it certainly paid off.

Jon Waters, 19, a Birmingham student who was invited last minute by his friend Anna Bourke, 20, from Manchester University, was bowled over by the night.

Jon said: “From what I remember of the night, it was great, the music was chilled but also upbeat. We went with Anna’s Dad and his mate and had a great time.”

Drinks were moderately priced but because it being a special music event expect to pay more that what you would on any other night at the HMV Institute.

It wasn’t as crowded as it would be on a club night, so you don’t get that usual sweaty feeling after an hour of arriving, instead you had enough room to really appreciate the venue and take in the Institutes high ceilings and balconies.

Good for a low-key night out with a few friends or choose the right event and it may turn into a memorable evening.

The HMV Institute has many more artists playing on various nights to the same effect. I liked it, although it wasn’t really my taste in music, the atmosphere and the friendly people and staff made the night a win.

Look out for:
Rusko – 12th March

Eclectricity: Atomic Jam – 26th March

The Vaccines – 9th April

Remember to Drink Responsibly

Visited: February 2011

Contact: 78 Digbeth High Street, Birmingham, B5 6DY

HMV Institute Website

Av Cost Per Person: £15-25 (ticket prices range across events)

'Ask' by Flickr user 'otama'

This Italian restaurant is one of my favourites. The food is absolutely gorgeous and if you like Italian cuisine, this is definitely worth a visit.

The staff were extremely helpful and quick to serve us. Our waitress in particular was very well mannered and happy to serve us our food. The restaurant was not particularly busy, but we were visiting at lunchtime and on a weekday.

For starters I ordered the Calamari, which came with a mayonnaise dip. I am a massive fan of this dish and do actually judge a restaurant on their Calamari. This restaurant gets top marks. The squid was cooked to perfection and was very flavourful and crunchy. It arrived only 10 minutes after ordering and everybody got their starters at the same time.

The main was a Stromboli pizza. Topped with a generous helping of cheese and pepperoni, this was one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted. It was a very generous size but was not too much to fill you up to the point of bloating and unbuttoning your trousers. When asked for some Parmesan cheese, our waitress went and came back straight away with it. The money you pay for your food is definitely worth it, not somewhere you could probably always afford to dine at, but somewhere you would go to again without hesitation.

The atmosphere was calm and friendly. People had come out for a nice lunch and to just chat with their friends/co-workers. It was quite and not crowded and was perfect for a lovely lunch out with friends.

Visited: 21^st February

Contact: Ask, 237 Hagley Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B16 9RR

Check out Ask for yourself!

Av cost per person: £15 for starter, main and drink

The Stanley Blacks Courtesy of Jessica Oates Photography

Last night saw the discovery of not only a lovely little Brummy venue but some fantastic new talent as well.

Birmingham’s Glee Club is situated in the Arcadian, the perfect location for all you students to reach via train or bus.

The Glee is beautifully atmospheric with it’s main room relying on candles for it’s main source of light. Red curtains are draped over the walls, giving it that theatrical feel and for a while you feel like you are living in 1920’s America.

On my visit I was lucky enough to have my ears blessed with the musical talent of The Stanley Blacks – a band of four very talented individuals from Woking.

The boys usually play with a full drum kit and electric guitars however last night saw beautiful interpretations of their music on acoustic guitar , the cajone (which I was fixated on the whole way through the set!) and of course their voices.

The indie/rock beat they have going on can be enjoyed by anyone, I can definitely imagine both young and old having a bit of a crush on these lovely lads.

The atmosphere was amazing during their half hour set, with ample applause from the audience.  Sadly the boys forgot to bring their CD’s to sell but I am sure they would have gone down a storm had they remembered.

The event also featured music from Dan Whitehouse and Pete Lawrie. The Glee is definetly a great place to chill out and listen to some fantastic live music.

I had a great night at The Glee and will definitely be keeping an eye on The Stanleys upcoming shows and events.

You can find the boys on Twitter and Facebook.. so don’t miss out on this gem of a band.

Name:             Stanley Blacks @ The Glee Club

Visited:             Tuesday 22^nd February

Contact:             The Glee Club, Hurst Street, Birmingham

The Glee Club Website